Take Action on Abortion Rights!Find Out How
Home | Menu | Sign Up | Donate

Two years later, what we now know about January 6

It's January 6, 2023, two years since Donald Trump's attempted insurrection.

Because of the hard work of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol, we know much more about that terrible day. The committee produced its final report after conducting more than a thousand witness interviews and acquiring close to one million pages of documents from more than a hundred subpoenas.

The Select Committee voted unanimously to refer Trump and his lawyer to the Department of Justice for prosecution. This is important for democracy and accountability; no one is above the law, even a former President of the United States.

As we learn more details, we truly see how close we came to losing democracy just two years ago. Here's what we know:

  • This attack was premeditated by Trump. He knew he lost, yet he perpetuated the Big Lie that the election was stolen.
  • Trump pressured officials in Georgia, Arizona, and other swing states to do anything to reverse the election results. Thankfully, these courageous officials refused.
  • Trump created a fake elector scheme as his efforts to "find more votes" failed. He and his allies attempted to promote different electors from states he had lost to block the certification of President Biden.
  • And as Vice President Pence resisted Trump's efforts to overturn the election, Trump publicly chastised him for his resistance, stirring up his MAGA supporters. Although I often disagree with the former Vice President, his actions leading up to the attack on January 6 and on that day show an admirable commitment to democracy.
  • Out of options, Trump used Twitter to rally far-right groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and QAnon conspiracy theorists to a "protest" on January 6. Hearing the call, these radical groups mobilized.
On January 6, 2021, as Trump supporters marched to the Capitol, we saw increasingly violent attacks on law enforcement officers who were protecting the U.S. Capitol and the people who were working to carry out a peaceful transfer of power.

Eventually, as you know, the mob breached the Capitol. Some rioters were actively seeking to harm Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Pence, more than 100 law enforcement officers were injured, and several people lost their lives because of the attack.

Trump knew what was happening. Yet he chose to do nothing for three hours.

Finally, late in the day, Trump half-heartedly told the MAGA mob to go home.

Throughout the past two years, we've seen Republicans downplay and deny this attack. But we must never forget this dark day in our history.

No matter what side of the aisle you are on, protecting free and fair elections should be important to all of us. I am disappointed that the Republican majority is disbanding the January 6th Committee, but I am hopeful that we will still be able to adopt the committee's recommendations and hold Trump and his allies accountable.

I will always fight to protect democracy from those who would destroy it.

Thank you for standing with me.

Suzanne

Posted on January 6, 2023.

Featured Actions

student loans petition Take Action on Abortion Rights democracy reform

Meet Suzanne

Suzanne knows what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet. She worked her way through community college, university, and law school. She started her career at Legal Aid and worked as a consumer rights attorney. Throughout her career she’s been a leading advocate for public education, protecting the environment, and civil rights. She’s fighting for a better future for all Oregonians.

read more